Sharp Dressed Man
by the Quiet Minstrel
Summary: They come runnin' just as fast as they can...


**Sharp Dressed Man**

_By: The Quiet Minstrel_

Disclaimer: I do not own ZZ Top (don't we all wish we did though…sigh) and I'm not about to stand in line for the ownership of Gundam Wing. It's a beautiful fall day, one of my last in the states, so is there a better way to enjoy it than writing a lighthearted song-fic? Methinks not. Enjoy.

(O)(O)(O)

_Clean shirt, new shoes  
_

Not in a million years or in any alternate universe could Duo have imagined that his celebrity status would have gone from infamous to straight up famous. The five of them were the equivalent to modern-day superheroes and Duo's flare for the dramatic and extravagant had landed him in the brightest light the media had to offer. Though, of course, nothing happened to the Gundam pilots by mistake. Every nuance was a choreographed step, so natural and seamless that the audience was left in awe and unaware of anything other than what the pilots willed them to see. Any performer worth their weight in salt knew that a bright smile could cover for the worst of slips. Point in case, Duo was famous because the pilots wanted him to be. Too much was still happening beneath the political surface and most of what they did was illegal under peacetime sanctions. Yet, no one could dare—_would_ dare—to call into question their own, personal Bruce Wayne.

Duo snapped his silk dress shirt and examined it in the bright light. The blue was a perfect match to his eyes and he watched his telltale dimple appear as he slipped into the material. It was tailored perfectly to assure everyone that the pilots were all grown up and all male. He had filled out and Duo had vowed to never swim in clothing again. He had nothing to hide and everything to show.

On a whim of course, he had picked up a pair of shoes on the way home this week. They had such a high gloss that he could have blinded a sniper if he hit the light correctly. Though decisively plain, the design was such that any well-to-do individual would recognize the brand immediately. Duo slipped them onto his feet and examined his appearance in the mirror.

There was no question about it: a single once-over simply would not suffice with this outfit. He was ready to go.

_And I don't know where I am goin' to._

"Hey Duo!"

Duo smiled up at the girl through his meticulously messy bangs. She lived several floors below his luxury flat and she often parked next to him for conversations just like this. His concept Camaro was edgy, sleek but rippled in all the right places; much like him, he mused with satisfaction.

"Good evening, Lily," he purred, kissing the top of her hand as he unlocked his door with two small chirps.

"Where are you off to?" she murmured, looking him up and down…twice.

Triumph momentarily lit Duo's eyes as his prediction about the suit was confirmed. He shrugged as he slipped into the driver's seat. "Wherever these wheels take me."

_Silk suit, black tie,_

Of course, Duo hadn't been innocent enough to drive around aimlessly since he was twelve. Whims lacked the discipline and the forethought to prevent dire consequences. And Duo had seen too many people lost due to whims and a faulty aim. Every inch he took in life was calculated and controlled. A predator aware of his strength.

The silk of his shirt felt delicious against his body and he relished in the feel of the cool and sliding material against his warm and unyielding muscles. He loved contrast. Got off to it. Thoughts, unbidden, slipped into his mind. Pale skin against olive. Silence against screams. Long stresses against short. Oh, what it would feel like to slowly undo his tie and wrap it painfully tight around his lover's willing wrists…

_I don't need a reason why._

Duo pulled his purring car up to the front of the building and stepped out, throwing his keys at the young man who looked a little overeager to take the car for a spin before he parked it. Duo just laughed to himself as he remembered the first time he had been allowed the access codes to Deathscythe. He knew what power felt like—metal, electricity and that deep-seated rumble that accompanied the perfection that was a machine.

"Mr. Maxwell…we are surprised to see you here."

"But nonetheless welcome, I am sure," Duo greeted the board of directors as he stepped into the posh ballroom. He made sure to stand close the director, an intimate show of exclusion to their conversation. "When I heard that Heero was here to represent the pilots I knew it was my moral and ethical obligation to at least make an appearance."

The director laughed and nodded, comfortable with agreeing when the false sense camaraderie blanketed him. "Heero is the best at what he does, which, I will admit, does not include PR."

"Hand him a gun, my friend, and he can be quite convincing," Duo assured as his eyes made a sweep for his companion. His instincts drew him to one corner of the ballroom where more formidable and powerful players resided. His intake of breath was swift and sharp as his eyes registered Heero at last.

_They come runnin' just as fast as they can_

"I'll be damned," Duo whispered under his breath. "Excuse me," he said to the director, perhaps a bit too abruptly. Like north finding south, he felt the undeniable pull. Unable to look away, unable to even walk at a casual pace, Duo made a beeline to the former Zero-One.

_'Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man._

Heero stood in the middle of a political circle, his hair messy but done so in a way that looked purposeful. The strands were shiny and healthy. Perfect, olive skin slipped under a high-collared black shirt. The immovable jaw, the defined bulb in his throat all looked too irresistible when caressed by the collar of the shirt that fit so snugly against the display of perfection. Cobalt blue tie, an immaculately pressed sports coat, and sinfully tailored pants finished the ensemble. His suit, much like Duo's, left no room for imagination. He was the perfect male specimen and he made no excuses. His eyes were cool and amused as he listened to conversation that was more rumor than fact.

He knew what it felt like to be watched. He knew what it felt like to be stalked. And he definitely knew what it felt like to be undressed by eyes that already knew what lie beneath the suit. His temperature went up a notch and he savored the feeling of those eyes, his responsive body coming to life, and the anticipation of turning the hunt onto the hunter.

_Gold watch, diamond ring,_

"Good evening, gentlemen," Duo effortlessly slid into the circle, taking a place across from Heero.

Heero raised an eyebrow, ordering Duo to explain himself.

This was what really turned Duo on. He looked around at all the politicians that smiled behind their champagne, thinking they knew secrets people would kill for. Yet, all of them were deceived, as placated as infants with pacifiers. Did they truly believe that Duo came on a whim for some attention? That any of the pilots would ever waste their time on a worthless display of wealth and decadence if they did not have an ulterior motive? Duo felt his groin tighten as he and Heero played their parts perfectly. There was something so sinful and yet so, so arousing about staring across the circle from one another, acting as though it hurt to share a room when the real pain came from quite the opposite.

Duo took his time, examining his white-gold ring with a single diamond embedded into it. A gift from Heero. He looked it over as though it were a worthless trinket before raising his eyes to Heero. "I figured you could use a little support. Your social skills have always left something to be desired."

_I ain't missin' not a single thing._

Heero scoffed and rolled his eyes but Duo followed Heero's gaze to the walkway on the second floor where a man stood looking out over the party. Just the barest flick of his attention and both men were focused back on their immediate environment. No one was the wiser for their silent communication. "At least I do not presume to have social skills by which I assault people until their ears bleed. As I recall, even under the direst of circumstances, you could not keep your mouth shut."

The tiniest hint of a spark lit deep within Duo's eyes. _Oh, baby…you've begged for me to use my mouth just a bit longer…_ A slow chuckle escaped Duo's lips when he noticed Heero shift his weight just slightly to the left to ease a growing discomfort.

"Dire indeed, seeing that we're both still alive and well. That is, until you speak, and these poor gentlemen are literally bored to death."

_Cufflinks, stick pin,_

"How you boys survived each other is the real miracle at work," one of the politicians laughed, lifting his wine to his lips.

"It's just a matter of taking control and showing him who's boss," Duo replied, his smile nothing short of a hot smolder.

"If you encourage his narcissism enough he will eventually be pacified enough to follow along without even a thought to question the circumstance. Now, if you will all excuse me, I have a speech to make." It was clear that abrupt farewell was in Duo's direction.

Duo watched Heero leave and he clapped one of the senator's on the back. "Try living with him for five, six years. I don't know about you guys but I might as well get another drink if he's going to put us to sleep."

_When I step out I'm gonna do you in_.

As Heero climbed the stairs to the platform, Duo ascended the stairs to where the target stood.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen."

"Good evening, my ass," Duo grumbled as he rested his forearms on the railing just as his target was.

The man looked over to Duo and offered a half-hearted smile before turning his attention back to the stage.

"I mean really. The Heero Yuy wishing a room full of people a good evening? I mean what next? Is he going to thank us all for coming to an event you know he didn't want to show up to?"

"I want to thank you all for coming to this very important event," Heero continued.

"Oh, fuck me; he's turned into a fucking politician."

The man on Duo's left nodded. "Sickening isn't it?" he murmured before downing the rest of his drink.

Duo slipped a hand casually onto the back of the man's neck. "It's not even like he earned it during the war—everyone knows it was the Zero System at work."

"I mean, exactly!" the man sympathized. "Ouch…"

Duo pulled his hand away quickly. "Oh, man, I'm sorry…I bite my nails all the time and they catch." Duo looked at the back of the man's neck. "No blood. I'm so sorry, man."

"No, it's fine," the man declined as he put his forearms back on the rail. "I don't even know why I'm here for God's sake…"

Duo paused for a long moment until he noticed the man sink heavier onto the rail. "Come on, let's just get out of here," Duo said in a low voice that held no room for argument. When he put an arm around the man he stumbled heavily into Duo's shoulder. "Whoa there, buddy." He met eyes with one of the attendees as he walked by and they shared a knowing, exasperated look. "I know it was a rough week, but lay off man, this is not a bar…this is embarrassing. Jeez. Excuse me," he said as he made his way down the stairway farthest from Heero's platform. "Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me."

"Leaving so soon?" the board of directors asked, confused.

Duo jerked his head in the direction of the fairly unconscious man in his grasp. "I mean, Heero's speeches usually put people to sleep but this guy's just a mess. I'm going to let him sober up a little outside."

Again, the look on the director's face told Duo that they had him right where they wanted him. Blissfully unaware and supportive.

Duo whistled with his free hand. "Can someone get a cab over here, please?"

_They come runnin' just as fast as they can_

"What the hell kind of service are you running?" Duo asked as he set the man down in the backseat. "I mean, make me wait a little longer and I might have had to deal with him myself."

"Shut up, Maxwell," Wufei shot from under a baseball cap and a beard.

"Keep the change, man," Duo spoke louder as he handed a fifty to cabdriver and stepped back, slamming his fist twice on the top of the car.

_'Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man._

Duo summoned for his car and to hide his wry grin, looked down to adjust his silk tie.

_Top coat, top hat,_

Heero slipped into the apartment flat with no trouble whatsoever. Civilian security was still a joke. He took his time removing his jacket and shoes in the darkness, inhaling the familiar scent of the home.

_And I don't worry cause my wallet's fat._

He stripped his pants of his wallet and keys, depositing them in a bowl with another set of keys and a wallet already resting there. With every couple of steps he shed another piece of clothing until all he had left was a black pair of boxer-briefs and one more step to the bedroom.

_Black shades, white gloves,_

The bedroom was warmly lit with white candles, the outside world blocked by black satin drapes. There was only one man he knew that loved contrast that much.

_Lookin' sharp lookin' for love._

Duo leaned against one of the bedposts, his tie loose around his neck; silk shirt open wide to reveal washboard abs; his pants unbuttoned and unzipped, displaying the tip of his arousal in plain sight.

_They come runnin' just as fast as they can_

Heero's famed control snapped as he lunged for the braided man. Both men collapsed onto the bed. Pale skin against olive. A black tie being fastened painfully tight around a lover's willing wrists. And the glint of a diamond in a ring.

_'Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man._

(O)(O)(O)

AN: So like I said, it's a gorgeous and cool day outside and I've been on a ZZ Top high lately and figured there wasn't a better way to enjoy such a day than to combine all my favorite things together! Much more lighthearted than my _Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood_ fic. I'm thinking maybe of doing a follow up to this one utilizing the song, _Gimme All Your Lovin'_. Yes? No? I mean, if this wasn't too sappy… Lol! Thanks everyone and drop a review if it fits your fancy.


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